Well, gang, I have smoked three times. I must say, in all honesty I have been a little disappointed in the results. Twice with a single rack of St. Louis style ribs, and once with some country style “ribs” cut from a pork butt. The ribs were cooked 3-2-1, and the country ribs were done as per the recipe on this web site. In all cases, the meat was well done, but the crust was dark, thick and hard, requiring a serrated knife to cut through it on the plate. Much darker than shown in the pictures in the recipe.
Here is the set-up:
I used a new Bradley 4-shelf smoker, set to 230⁰ and preheated for about a half hour, with a dual probe Maverick thermometer. Before using the Maverick, I checked both probes with boiling water - 212⁰, ± 2⁰. Close enough. The meat probe was not used on the ribs, simply relying on the time and temperature given in the 3-2-1 recipe. I did use it in the country ribs, though. I used the oven probe in all cases, both above and below the meat. The damper was half-open in all cases. Hickory smoke biscuits.
My main concern is with the oven temperature. The readout on the Bradley said 230⁰, varying about 10⁰ up or down most of the time. The Maverick oven probe was all over the place, from 230⁰ to 280⁰ throughout the whole time. What’s up with that? Which thermometer should I rely on?
I have a big family barbeque coming on Memorial Day, and would hate to have problems.
Here is the set-up:
I used a new Bradley 4-shelf smoker, set to 230⁰ and preheated for about a half hour, with a dual probe Maverick thermometer. Before using the Maverick, I checked both probes with boiling water - 212⁰, ± 2⁰. Close enough. The meat probe was not used on the ribs, simply relying on the time and temperature given in the 3-2-1 recipe. I did use it in the country ribs, though. I used the oven probe in all cases, both above and below the meat. The damper was half-open in all cases. Hickory smoke biscuits.
My main concern is with the oven temperature. The readout on the Bradley said 230⁰, varying about 10⁰ up or down most of the time. The Maverick oven probe was all over the place, from 230⁰ to 280⁰ throughout the whole time. What’s up with that? Which thermometer should I rely on?
I have a big family barbeque coming on Memorial Day, and would hate to have problems.